Acupuncture to ease symptoms for people with metastatic breast cancer
Official title: Acupuncture to decrease symptom burden in patients with metastatic breast cancer
Funded at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center · NIH-11441799 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A clinical trial will test whether weekly acupuncture for 12 weeks can reduce symptom burden for people with metastatic breast cancer who are on standard therapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 14, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $916,473 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA318219-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11441799 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer currently treated with CDK4/6 inhibitors and endocrine therapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not experiencing significant symptom burden or who cannot participate in a 12-week acupuncture program may derive less benefit.
What this research studies
This study invites adults with metastatic breast cancer to receive a structured 12-week course of weekly acupuncture in addition to their usual CDK4/6 inhibitor and endocrine therapy. The goal is to see if acupuncture can lessen common symptoms like pain, fatigue, sleep problems, and appetite loss, which can affect quality of life. The trial builds on prior work showing acupuncture helps with symptoms in early-stage breast cancer, and now tests its benefit in a metastatic setting. Participation involves a standardized acupuncture protocol delivered in a multicenter, randomized three-arm design, with comparisons to standard care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients may experience reduced symptom burden and improved quality of life during treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies in early-stage breast cancer showed acupuncture reduced pain, fatigue, and other symptoms, informing this metastatic trial.
Where this research is happening
-
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Greenlee, Heather — Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Study coordinator: Greenlee, Heather
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.